


Melinda and the Wolf

by kitlee625, Sarahastro



Series: The Ballad of Lady Melinda [1]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-14
Updated: 2015-06-14
Packaged: 2018-04-04 11:03:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 956
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4135086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kitlee625/pseuds/kitlee625, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sarahastro/pseuds/Sarahastro
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Age 12. A chance encounter in the woods changes Melinda May's life forever.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Melinda and the Wolf

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first story in our Philinda fake medieval AU (fake because everything I know about medieval history I learned from one high school history class, wikipedia, and fantasy novels).

Melinda May scowls and hitches her skirt up higher as she runs down the hill and into the woods. Her mother had insisted she wear her finest dress in honor of the king’s visit, but as soon as she was busy with something else, Melinda had escaped the castle. She has no interest in meeting the king or the princes. She would much rather spend the day practicing riding or archery, but her mother had forbade her from doing either.

She knows she is probably supposed to be awaiting the king’s arrival by doing something quiet and ladylike, like spinning or weaving. But instead she is determined to hide out in the woods as long as possible. Eventually she will have to make her introductions to the king, but for now she can have some peace and quiet away from the flurry of preparations.

Most of the time her mother lets her study the things she wants -- riding, fighting, swordplay -- but in preparation for the king’s visit she has spent the last few days drilling her in manners and etiquette. Melinda had to practice curtseying for over an hour yesterday before her mother was satisfied. She scowls. She has no interest in being a lady. She wants to be a knight, although she knows that is probably impossible. Not only is she a girl, but she is not technically a noble since her father’s title passed to a distant cousin on his death. Still, it does not stop her from dreaming, and the woods are her favorite place to pretend to be a hero.

She is running through the woods brandishing a small branch at an imaginary enemy when she first hears the screams. Instinctively, she runs towards them. Just a few feet away she spots the source, a boy about her age with a wolf’s jaws clamped around his arm. He is screaming for help, his eyes wide with terror, his legs kicking ineffectually at the wolf’s body.

Melinda acts on instinct. She raises the branch and lunges at the wolf, delivering a loud smack to its side. It lets go of the boy and turns towards her. Its lips curl back in a snarl, and Melinda fights back a wave of terror.

She turns to the boy. “Run! Get help at the castle!”

“What about you?”

“Just go!”

She turns her attention back to the wolf just as it charges at her. She raises the branch and swings again, aiming for its head. She connects with the sickening crunch, and the animal falls back dazed. She swings once more, then turns to run. The boy is still standing near her, his mouth open in shock. She grabs his uninjured hand and pulls him towards the castle. “Hurry, before it comes after us!”

Fear makes them speedy. They stumble through the woods as fast as possible. Branches scrape their skin and snag their clothes, but they keep running. A few times he nearly trips, and she has to pull on his arm to keep him upright, but finally they burst out into the sunlight.

To her surprise, the hill is filled with soldiers and villagers. As soon as someone spots them, a shout goes up, and a crowd of people hurry towards them. She turns to the boy. Only now does she realize that his clothes are the finest cloth, and his hair is far too neat for him to be a servant or a villager. He must be one of the princes.

A tall man with a patch over one eye rides up on a horse, followed closely by a boy of about fifteen. Even though Melinda has never seen him before, she knows at once from his clothes and the way everyone moves aside for him that this must be the king and the older prince. The boy hurries towards them. “Father!”

The king dismounts his horse moves towards his son. “Phil, what happened? Where have you been?”

“I went for a walk in the woods, and I came upon a wolf. It attacked me, but this maiden rescued me.” He cradles his injured arm and beams widely at Melinda.

He turns towards Melinda and fixes her with an intense one-eyed stare. He is a tall man with an imposing presence, and Melinda forces herself to stand up straighter to face him.

“Is this true? Did you save my son?”

“Yes, your majesty.”

“What’s your name?”

“Melinda May.”

A small smile tweaks the corner of his lips. “You’re quite a fighter, Melinda May.”

“My mother taught me. She was a soldier.”

“You’re Lian May’s daughter?” She nods, and he says, “She is a brave woman. Do you want to be a soldier too?”

Melinda tilts her chin up so that she can look him straight in the eye. “I want to be a knight.”

There are small bursts of laughter from the crowd, and Melinda notices that the king’s older son snickers. But the king looks at her seriously.

“How old are you?”

“Twelve, your majesty.”

“Squires begin training at fourteen. When you’re fourteen, come to the capital.” He smiles. “I’d be proud to have someone as brave as you as one of my knights.”

The older son scoffs. “Her? She’s a girl! And she’s even smaller than Phil.”

“She saved your brother's life, John,” the king says sharply to his son. He smiles at Melinda. “For that you have our gratitude.”

Phil nods vigorously. “Thank you, Melinda.” He is staring at her so intensely that Melinda blushes and has to look away.

“I will tell your mother that she should be proud to have trained such a brave warrior. And that I look forward to you entering my service as a squire.”


End file.
